1. Challenges of Mathematics teaching today
Students in middle and secondary schools require an education in mathematics that goes
beyond what was needed by students in the past. This is a significant challenge to today's
mathematics teachers. Teachers need the commitment and support of educational leaders
as they adopt new curriculum materials and new methods of teaching.
Today's mathematics teachers are experiencing major changes not only in the
mathematics content they teach, but also in the way they teach. Nearly all of these
teachers came through school when mathematics consisted of a collection of facts
and skills to be memorized or mastered by a relatively homogeneous group of
students taught using a lecture approach. Now teachers are called on to teach new,
more challenging mathematics to a very diverse audience using active learning
approaches designed to develop understanding. To meet this challenge
mathematics teachers need the support and encouragement of school leaders at all
levels.